Copa Libertadores: Riots before the semi-finals in Rio: More than 250 arrests

Before the semi-final game in the Copa Libertadores between Botafogo Rio de Janeiro and Peñarol Montevideo, there was tumult in the Brazilian metropolis. According to police, fans of the Uruguayan soccer team looted shops and destroyed vehicles.

Motorcycles and a bus were set on fire on the waterfront in western Rio de Janeiro, photos and videos showed. An angry mob threw stones and bottles at police, using tables from beachfront shops as shields and tent frames as clubs, local media reported.

Many people arrested

According to police, more than 250 people have been arrested so far. A pistol was confiscated. “Football is a sport of celebration and unity. We will not allow these lawbreakers to disrupt people’s daily lives through acts of brutality and vandalism. Scenes like this must not be repeated,” said Rio’s Governor Cláudio Castro via the X platform. According to government orders, Peñarol fans are to be escorted out of the city.

According to police, the riots began around midday after one of the fans stole a cell phone from a bakery. Botafogo faces Peñarol in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores semi-final on Wednesday – the second leg takes place in Montevideo in a week’s time. The South American tournament is comparable to the Champions League in Europe.